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lead up the garden path

 - 3 dictionary results

gar⋅den

[gahr-dn]
–noun
1. a plot of ground, usually near a house, where flowers, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, or herbs are cultivated.
2. a piece of ground or other space, commonly with ornamental plants, trees, etc., used as a park or other public recreation area: a public garden.
3. a fertile and delightful spot or region.
4. British. yard 2 (def. 1).
–adjective
5. pertaining to, produced in, or suitable for cultivation or use in a garden: fresh garden vegetables; garden furniture.
6. garden-variety.
–verb (used without object)
7. to lay out, cultivate, or tend a garden.
–verb (used with object)
8. to cultivate as a garden.
9. lead up or down the garden path, to deceive or mislead in an enticing way; lead on; delude: The voters had been led up the garden path too often to take a candidate's promises seriously.

Origin:
1300–50; ME gardin < ONF gardin, OF jardin < Gmc; cf. OHG gartin-, G Garten, yard 2


gar⋅den⋅a⋅ble, adjective
gar⋅den⋅less, adjective
gar⋅den⋅like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

garden 
c.1300, from O.N.Fr. gardin, from V.L. hortus gardinus "enclosed garden," via Frank. *gardo, from P.Gmc. *gardon (cf. O.Fris. garda, O.H.G. garto, Ger. Garten "garden," O.E. geard "enclosure," see yard (1)). The verb is first attested in 1577. Garden variety in figurative sense first recorded 1928.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

lead up the garden path

see lead down the garden path.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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